Composite chemical fire kindler



Sept. 30, 1958 s. STANTON 2,354,321

' COMPOSITE CHEMICAL FIRE KINDLER Filed Oct. 1, 195a 1N VENTOR nit-edPatented Sept. 30, 1958 COMPOSITE CHEMICAL FIRE KINDLER Stan Stanton,Arlington, Va.

Application October 1, 1956, Serial No. 613,069

1 Claim. (Cl. 44-39) This invention relatesto a chemical fire kindler ofthe type which is embodied in small tablets or other suitably shapedreadily ignitable units, and used to kindle charcoal fires in grills,campfires, hearthfires and the like.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a fire kindler of thetype described which is substantially smokeless, without smell, anddevoid of fly ash, so that it is inoflensive even when used indoors.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved chemicalfire kindler which is of nonbrittle texture so that units of the samemay be packaged together in plurality without breakage loss incident tojarring during transportation or when carried on the person of the user.This makes it particularly desirable for campers, picnickers, scouts,and others to whom the carrying of fire kindlers would be asindispensable as matches, as an item of preparedness.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a fire kindler ofthe type described consisting of a tablet or other unit of compositeconstruction, having a core component of readily combustible materialcapable of generating a flame of intense heat which burns for asuflicient period of time to insure reasonable expectation of kindlingthe fire, and a mantle or coating surrounding said core, more readilyignitable than the core component, and which develops through combustioninto a porous sintered shell about the core component, and which remainspermanent and indistructible during the combustion of the corecomponent, which forms a wind shield about the base of the flame,preventing its being blown out, and due to its porous nature, acting asa spreader for the flame, which issues through the pores.

Other objects of the invention willappear as the following descriptionof a practical embodiment of the invention proceeds.

In the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of the followingspecification:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a chemical fire kindler in tabletform, embodying the principles of the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-section through the tablet;

Figure 3 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section showing apartially consumed fire kindler, the mantle being broken away to revealthe core component.

In carrying out the invention I have selected hexamethylene tetramine asthe base material for the core component, since it is readily ignitible,burns quietly and uniformly with a substantially smokeless, odorlessflame of intense heat, leaving a small amount of ash 2 shipment,reaching the user in unsatisfactory condition from this cause, and theyare also subject more or less, to disintegration when carried in thepocket, due to contiguous association with other hard objects.

I therefore mix with the hexamethylene tetramine ingredients that renderthe core component of the tablet less brittle, and I may incorporatesubstances that mechanically reinforce the tablet. There are many suchadditives available from which I have selected those which also have thedesirable qualities of smokelessness, ready combustibility, and freedomfrom odor.

Specifically, I add about 5% by weight of microcrystalline wax andstearic acid, 1% of calcium stearate, and approximately 5% of a liquidpolysulfide polymer as a binder. The above mentioned additives arecarefully mixed with the hexamethylene tetramine into a homogeneousplastic mass, the wax, stearic acid and calcium stearate being used toreduce the brittleness of the hexamethylene tetramine and the liquidpolysulfide polymer being employed as a binder to improve thehomogeneousness of the mixture. About 4% cellulosic fibers are incorporated into the mixture to function as mechanical reinforcement forthe tablet. The plastic mixture is pressed into tablets or other unitsof suitable size and dimension. These tablets are the core components ofthe complete chemical fire kindler, an example of which is indicated bythe reference character 1 in Figure 1. As may readily be surmised, eachof the additives to the hexamethylene tetramine, above mentioned, areexamples of equivalents, which may be substituted therefor withoutexercise of invention.

Figures 2 and 3 show that the core component designated by the referencecharacter 2 is surrounded by a mantle or coating 3. This coatingconsists of nitrocellulose varnish, and is more highly flammable thanthe material of the core component. By way of example, a varnishconsisting of nitro-cellulose dissolved in acetone forms a satisfactorycoating. It may be applied to the core component in many ways, forexample, by dipping, brushing, spraying; or the core component may beimmersed in the varnish. The latter need not cover the base of the corecomponent. The nitro-cellulose coating has a degree of flexibility thatsomewhat dampens impactive shocks to the core component, such as wouldbe encountered if the fire kindler were to drop onto the floor. Themantle thus gives added protection from breaking or chipping.

The outstanding value of the nitro-cellulose mantle stems from itschange of state incident to its combustion. The fire kindler is ignitedby touching a match to the mantle. The ensuing flame is communicatedimmediately by the coating to the core component, so that bothcomponents of the flre kindler start to burn substantially at the sametime, but the faster burning mantle quickly forms a 1 porous sinteredshell about the slower burning core. This shell is indestructible by theheat of the flame, so that it remains intact in shape and size for theperiod of combustion, the flame from the core component issuingdistributively through the porous structure of the shell. This causesthe flame to be broad at the base and flaring or vase-shaped for quite adistance above its base, rather than having the narrow pointed shapewhich characterizes the flame from an uncoated core component. Thus, theflame is able to encounter a wider expanse of overlying kindling wood orother fuel. The unit mass of the tablet is such as to produce acombustion period of from six to eight minutes, and is sufficient tokindle a fire under diflicult conditions of combustion.

The mass of the core component of the tablet progressively diminishes ascombustion progresses. In some-instances it recedes from the innersurface of the shell,

forming a void between the shell and the core component. In other casesthe solid products of combustion or. core portion form an attenuated webstructure between the inner surface of the shell and the unconsumedportion of the core component, which structure is extremely porous. Ineither case, a gas chamber is formed be tween the shell and the unburnedportion of the core component filled with the burning volatiles of thecore component, the flame of which issues through the portion of theshell. The latter forms an effective wind shield for the fire kindler.The wind blowing against one side may momentarily force the flame onthat side within the confines of the shell, but active ignition isconserved in the gas chamber and the flame is not extinguished.

While I have in the above disclosure described a practical embodiment ofthe invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art thatthe specific details of construction and composition of the fire kindlerunit are by way of example and not to be construed as necessarilylimiting the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

Composite chemical fire kindler comprising a shaped unit mass includinga core consisting essentially of hexamethylene tetramine, and a mantleconsisting of a layer of nitro-cellulose resin for igniting said core,said mantle being characterized by its transformation through burninginto a porous, rigid, sintered shell, remaining intact in shape andsize, persistent against heat destruction for the burning period of saidcore, whereby a. void is formed between said core and shell constitutinga flame chamber from which the flame from said core dischargesdistributively through the pores of said shell, the latter functioningas a spreader for said flame and a windshield for the flame within saidflame chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,094,661 Macleay et al. Oct. 5, 1937 Berdick July 22 1952

